Art of seaming fabrics



Sept. 22, 1942.` F. G. wElsBEcKER ErAL 2,296,302

ART oF sEAMING FABRIC Filed Nov. 15, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 WMM@ ART oF SEAMING FABRIC Filed Nov. 15, 1959V 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,fi-au15 v Y William mlZemn/g.

Sept. 22, 14942 l-z G. welsBEcKER Erm. 2,296,302

' ART OF SEAMING' FABRIC Filed Nov; 15.31959 4 sheets-.sheet s a 155 "Et/'19 F? 1,6

umrllulrl i -f H I mi; l

(ad wlt'am WEP/Irving.

' ybw allg.

Patented 1942 2.296.302 v ABT F SEAMING FABRICS Frank G. Weisbecker, Glensidc, Pa., and William nliingto W. FleminnW n. D. C.. ossimoro. by

menne assignments. to Hosiery Patents Incorporated, Lansdale,4 Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 15, 1939, semi No. 4sommi 2 7 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of seeming fabrics. More particularly, the invention relates to improvements in full-fashioned stockings and a method for seeming portions of a stocking blank in making such stockings.

The method of this invention is especially suitable for seaming the edge portion or portions at the tip or front end of a stocking blank toe. For purposes of illustration; the invention, therefore. will be described as applied to the joining of such portionsof a full-fashioned stocking blank, but other applications of the invention will be readily understood from the description to follow. Heretofore, the usual practice in manufacturing full-fashioned hosiery has been to produce the stocking blanks on knitting machines and to seam the stocking blank toe front edge portion in a so-called "looping operation on a, .looping machine. This machine makesa chain stitch. It has also been a common practice to prevent runs in the stocking toe during removal of the stocking blank from a stocking blank knitting machine to a looping machine, by providing the stocking toe with a few extra courses, known as raveling courses. These raveling courses are formed on the machine which knits the toe/fabric and are removed from the toe after the toe end edge to be seamed is supported in the looping machine for a looping operation.

There is a definite problem in seaming the stocking blank front toe edge which precludes the use of an ordinary sewing machine and which heretofore has required the use of the well-known looping machine. Whenthe usual ravel courses are removed from the stocking toe fabric, a number of the wales in the toe fabric terminate in free loops at `the front edge of the toe. In other words, the end or front edge of the toe is without a selvage, and particular care must be taken to so seam this stocking portion that the possibility of its edge loops being left free'` to start a stocking run is substantially eliminated. To avoid such runs orunraveling, it is necessary that each of the described free edge loops or terminal Wale loops be secured, bound or locked in the seam for closing the toe end. The function of the conventional looping machine is to link each of these edge loops into a seam by means of a looping operation using a chain stitch. l

The present invention is an important improvement over the described'prior practice of looping the stocking blank toe front edge portions. The: present invention shows how the front toe seam may be formed in a knitting operation. The inventionalso teaches how the front toe seam may be produced on the vsame machine which `knits the stocking toe fabric. For example. the toe section of a knitted stocking blank may first be formed on a conventional footer knitting machine and then have its end or tip portions provided with a seam by the same machine, all in a continuous operation. If a conventional single unit straight knittingmachine is being used for producing both leg and foot portions of a stocking blank, the toe end portions may be lunited by the same knitting machine and withf out removal of the stocking blank therefrom. In.

this invention, is further apparent when it is considered that full-fashioned hosieryV knitting mills have usually been equipped in the past with a looping machine for each footer knitting m'achine. This invention also permits a saving of time in the production of hosiery, as it does not require the prior time-consuming practice of removing the stocking blanks from the legger, footer, single unit or other knitting machine, which knits the stocking blanks or portions thereof, to looping machines for uniting the terminal waie loops of the stocking toe. The invention may, therefore, actually assist a hosiery mill in increasing its rate of production.

A number of other advantages are lsecured by the present invention. The invention may be practiced to provide a knitted seam which is smoother and flatter than the seam `*produced by a looping machine. A ilat seam inv a stocking toe is much more comfortable to a wearer than the raised seams produced by prior looping methods. The seams produced in accordance with this invention may have substantially the flat, smooth and pleasing appearance of plain silk stocking fabric and, in this respect, may be practically yindistinguishable from the surrounding or adjacent knitted stocking areas. Another advantage of the present invention is that itl provides a method whereby the usual raveling courses may be omitted and such waste of Ayarn may be avoided.

As ordinary yarn, of the character used in knitting a full-fashioned silk stocking blank. may also be used for seaming operations in the practice of this invention, the latter permits a further saving.y The prior practice of looping seams for stockings requires special and relatively expensive yarn, generally termed "looping" yarn.

This looping yarn is more expensive than the silk'4 yarn usually forming stocking fabric. If vsuch special looping yarn is-not used'in the looping operation, the stitches are apt to skip. The result, would be so-called open work," in which certain terminal wale loops at the toe edge are free to start a run in their respective wales.

The present invention also secures economy in yarn, as the'usual toe raveling courses referred to above are now unnecessary. v

It is, therefore. anV object of this invention to simplify and improve the art of seaming 'fabrics, and particularly -with respect to uniting the t edges of knitted fabric.

Another object is to provide a novel method for seaming mii-fashioned stocking blank edges.

Still another object is to provide a novel method of .the free terminal wale loops in the front edge of full-fashion stocking toes.

Another object is to provide fabric, and particularly the knitted toes of full-fashioned hosiery, with seams of improved character,

A further object is to secure a substantial saving with respect to the initial investment in hosiery mills, the. operating expenses of such mills, and the manufacture of full-fashioned hosiery thereby.

A still further object is to provide a seaming method which will enable a full-fashioned hosiery knitting mill to increase its rate of production.

Other objects of this invention will be apparent from the following specification, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings, wherein.

1 is an elevational side view of a fun-` fashioned stocking having its toe front or end portions provided with a seam in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the stocking toe in Figure 1 but without the usual sole seam, and shows the toe front edge portions.

united in accordance with this invention.

Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views (more or less diagrammatic) of portions of a full-fashioned hosiery, single unit straight knitting machine and portions of a stocking foot to illustrate progressive stages in the seaming of stocking toe edge-portions according to this invention.

Figures 5 through 10 are diagrammatic views to illustrate one method of uniting the front edge portions of a stocking blank toe according to 4 this invention, Figure 5 also being a front elevational view, on enlarged scale, of the machine parts and the stocking toe of Figure-3, and Figure 9 showing the stocking in the same stage of the described method as Figure 4.

Figure 11 is a diagrammatic detail view to show the relative arrangement of loops in a toe seam made in accordance with one embodiment of this intention.

Referring now to the drawings, Figure 1 shows a full-fashioned stocking in which the foot is made from a blank of the style or type shown in Figure 3. The illustrated stocking and blank include such usual parts as an instep portion Il sole portions-.2, heel portions 3, and a toe portion s having diamond paints 5. The tee portion s and its diamond points In` terminate at the front toe edge I0, as shown more clearly in Figure 5.

This invention provides the stocking toe with a knitted seam india-ated at s in' Figure 2. 're

form this toe seam 8, the outer toe edge portions 20 and 2l (see Figure 5) are, in effect, folded inwardly and united in the folded position to innertoe edge portions 22 and 23 respectively. The combined extent ofthe toe edge portions 2l, 2|, 22 and 23 is preferably the same as the length of Vthe last course of the stocking foot blank, which last course usually consists of a plurality of free or terminal wale loops, one for each wale terminating at the toe edge Il.

This invention may be practiced in the manufacture of hosiery from the illustrated -conven-4 tional stocking blank. This hosiery and its blank may be made on a conventional single unit straight knitting machine and a conventional heeler knitting machine according to known practice. It will be apparent, however, from an understanding Vof this disclosure that the -present invention may be practiced in the production of stockings from other types of stocking blanks and that the stocking blank may be produced by means of separate conventional legger and footer knitting machines, or byvmeans of conventional single unit straight knitting machines, and with or without a heeler knitting machine. The legger, footer and single unit machines, referred to, lmay be either single section machines for ,producing a single stocking blank at one time,

or multi-section machines for simultaneously producing a number of stocking blanks.

To facilitate an understanding of this invention, Figures 3 through l0 show certain portions of a single unit full-fashioned hosiery knitting machine. Thissingle unit machine may knit a substantially complete stocking blank including the foot portion of Figure 3 and then join the toe front edge portions 2l, ZIJ, 22 and 23 (see Figure 5) to provide the knitted seam 8 of Figure 2, allin a continuous operation. The illustratedconventional portions of a single unit, fullfashioned hosiery straight knitting machine comprise a take up roll II, a loop supporting or needle bar I2 having a series of needles, and yarn carriers I3 and I4. These portions of the knitting machine cooperate in the usual manner to form knitted courses and wales, may perform their individual operations according to conventional practice and may be controlled and operated by conventional mechanism or other suitable means.

During the operations for knitting the foot of the stocking blank, all the needles of the bar l2 which support loops of the foot may serve as active or knitting needles. However, during the seaming operations to be described, itis preferable and desirable that only a few of the needles be operative for knitting andthat the remainder be idle or inactive. The operative knitting or active needles for performing the'seaming operation may be two in numbe- (NI and N2) as illustrated or more than twoif desired. During the seaming operations, the needles at opposite sides of the needles NI and N2 remain idle or inactive and serve to support toe edge loops prior to their being worked into the toe seam. Any suitable mechanism may be used for rendering needles NI and N2 active or operative and the remaining needles of the bar I2 idle or inactive during the seaming operation.

For the purpose of transferring the loops in toe edge I0 in the course of the seaming operations, the knitting machine is provided with transfer devices I5 and I6. These devices I5 and II-are similar` in general character and operation to the transfer ngers or points of conventional knitting machines. However, in order to carry out the present method, either or both of the transfer devices Il and I6 may be somewhat longer than those employed heretofore. That is, the transfer devices I5 and I6 may be provided with a. greater number of conventional transfer points I1 than has, heretofore, been the practice. .Each of these transfer devices I5 and I6 will 'require a number of points I1 corresponding to the largest number of loops it will transfer at any time in the seaming operation. In the illustrated form of this fabric.

Vthe seaming operations.

` usual transfer operationsduring the knitting of stocking blanks or portions thereof on the knitting machine. Any suitable means or mechanism may be used for operating and controlling the transfer devices I and Il in the practice of this invention, as well as during their use for narrowing operations in the production of the stocking During the seaming of the stocking toe, the transfer devices I5 and I5 preferably operate simultaneously. In all loops transfer operations, with the exceptions noted below, the transfer devices I5 and I5 move vertically to lift loops from inactive needles, travel a desired distance inwardly or toward each other with the lifted loops, and then have a downward movement to place each of the lifted loops on a needle spaced from the one on which it had been previously supported. By means of these transfer devices I5 and I5, the loops in each of the toe edge portions 20, 2I, 22 and 23 are placed in succession on a particular active needle so that each edge loop will be interlooped with a loop of seaming yarn formed on the same active needle.

'I'he yarn for seaming or joiningthe toe edge portion to the toe edge portion 22 is fed by aaoasoa i 3and5untilthelastcourseoftheblank(the the yarn carrier I3, and the yarn .for seeming the toe edge portion 2| to the toe edge portion 23 is supplied by the yarn carrier I4. These two yarns are preferably anchored in the toe fabric prior to For this purpose,'the rst laid ends of the two seaming yarns may be bound into the stocking foot blank as the latter is being completed. For example, the ya'rn carriers I3 and I4 may begin operation several courses prior to the knitting of the last course in the stocking toe 5 and form what may be called tails 24 and 25 that are inter-knit with the adjacent loops of the stocking toe fabric. The area of these tails 24 and 25 is illustrated, forexample, in dotted lines in Figure 6. These tails 24 and 25 may be composed of yarn formed into courses and wales and united to the toe `fabric in a manner similar to conventional splicing or plating operations. The tails 24 and 25 may comprise two or more wales and be knit on a corresponding number of needles of the needle bar I2.

one constituting toe edge I0) is formed, and the blank is in the positionA shown in Figures3 and 5. The blank may now have the toe edge portions 20 to 23 united in accordance with .this invention.

Heretofore, the practice, as previously explained, has been to continue the knitting operation beyond the toe edge I0 to provide a number of raveling courses (not shown). However, in the practice of this invention, courses may be, and preferably are, omitted.

The number of free or. terminal wale loops at toe edge I0 varies with the size and style of stocking being knit. For the purposes of this description, the invention will be explained in connection with a toe edge I0.consisting of forty free terminal wale loops, LI thrugh L40. It will be understood, of course,y that the toe edge I!! usually has more than forty free loops, and that the present method of providing the toe seam 8 may be substantially the same irrespective of the number of terminal wale loops in the toe edge -I0. If the toe edge I0 has more than forty free loops, the method about` to be described may be followed until all the edge loops are united in the toe seam 3.

To avoid confusion, only certain of the edge loops in the drawings are provided with reference numerals. The other toe edge loops, if numbered, would bear reference numerals in accordance with their position relative to loop LI shown in Figure 5. For example, the second and third toe edge loops from the left end of toe edge I0 in Figure 5 are loops L2 and L3 respectively.

Each of the toe edge portions 20, 2I, 22 and 23 preferably comprises the same number of loops. In the drawings, each of the toe edge portions 20. 2I, 22 and 23 is shown as consisting of ten terminal wale loops. The drawings also show one of the diamond points 5 terminating inthe terminal wale loops LIO and LII at the adjacent ends of toe edge portions` 20 and 22, andthe other diamond point 5 terminating in the terminal wale loopsL30 and `L3I at the adjacent ends of toe edge portions 23 and 2l. As illustrated in the drawings, the extremities of the diamond points 5 are usually soarranged in con- In the event the stocking toe 5 is provided with the conventional diamond points 5 as shown in the drawings, the tails 24 and 25 are `preferably knit so that they extend along the center of the diamond points 5 (see Figure 6). whether the stocking blank is of the type having diamond points, the course of the tail 24, at the toe edge I0, is preferably knit on the needles which carry the adjacent end loops LIO and LII of the toe'edge portions 20 and 22. The'course of the tail 25, at the toe edge I 0, is preferably knit on the needles which carry` the adjacent end loops L30 and L3I of the toe edge portions 23 and 2 I.

Except for the inter-knitting of tails 24 and 25 with the stocking toe fabric, the single-unit knitting machine, of which portions have been `described, may proceed 'in the usual manner for Irrespective of ventional full-fashioned hosiery that the number oi' terminal wale loops between their centers in the last course of stocking toe B is the same as the total number of terminal Wale loops located beyond or outside of their centers in the same course. This arrangement of the'diamond points 5 results in their extremities terminating at opposite ends of the completed t'oe seam 8 as shown in Figures 2 and l0.

It will be noted that in the drawings each of Athe toe edge portions 20,E 2|, 22 and 23 is arranged on the same number of needles, namely, ten. Loops `designated as LI through L40 are the loops formed to completethe last course of the stocking toe in usual manner. Loops UI and U2, which are respectively supported on the same needles that hold loops LIO and LI I, form the last course in the tail 24. Loops UUI vand UU2 compose the last courser in the tail 25 and are held on the needles for loops L30 and L3I. In Figures 5 through 10, the loops LI through L40,

which comprise the last course of the stocking` blank toe 0, are represented by small half-circles.

In the same figures, the loops formed from the seaming yarns of yarn carriers I3 and I4 are represented by the larger half-circles. The loops formed from the seeming yarn of the yarn carknitting the stocking foot blank shown in Figures rier I3 compose the loop series UI, U2, etc., and

the raveling l the loops formed of the seaming yarn from yarn carrier I4 compose the loop series UUI, UU2, etc. An embodiment of this invention will now be described in which the toe edge portion, is joined to ltoe edge portion 22, and thereafter the toe edgeportion 2| vis joined to toe edge portion 23. It will be understood, however, that this order of operations may be reversed. Y

When the stocking blank has reached the stage of developmenh shown in Figures 3 and 5, it is transferred from its'position on the needle bar I2 illustrated by Figure 5 to the position illustrated by Figure 6. This transfer Vis to the right, as will be noted in the figures, and may be effected by the transfer devices I5 and I6 working as a unit. The transfer device I5 may be used to transfer the loops in the toe edge portion 20, including the tail loop UI, and the transfer device I6 may simultaneously transfer the remainder of the loops in the toe edge I0, that is the loops in toe edge portions 2| 22 and 23. This transfer L operation is for the purpose of placing loops LIU and UI on needle NI and loops LII and U2 on needle N2. These needles NI, N2 are preferably positioned in the center ofthe needle bar I2. By producing the entire toe seam on a few active needles at the center of the needle bar I2, a number of advantages are obtained. For example, the straight knitting machines now in use may be more readily adapted to perform the operations of this invention. 'Ihe usual narrowing /heads and narrowing control means of such knitting machines may be used for actuating the narrowing heads I 5 and I6 in the seaming operations. The matter of rendering all needles inactive, except needles NI and N2, during the knitting operation will also be facilitated. It will be understood, however, that the needles for knitting the toe seam may be positioned, if desired, at other places along the needle bar I2.

During the transfer represented by Figures 5 and 6, the yarn carriers I3 and I4 are preferably laterally shifted to the right with the transferred loops so as to avoid undue tension in the yarn extending between the carriers (I3 and I4) and the tails 24 and 25. If the yarn carriersy I3 and I4 are not so shifted, the loops in the tails 24 and 25 may become distorted, and a certain additional length of yarn may be pulled from the idle yarn carriers I3 and I4-by the stocking toe dur- With the stocking toe 6 and the illustrated Y machine-parts having the relative arrangement shown in Figure 6, the yarn carrier I3 proceeds to lay yarn for a plurality or series of connected courses and wales. 'I'he yarn from carrier I3 when knitted will be a continuation of tail 24 and appear as a strip of narrow fabric. 'I'he courses are shown as formed on only two needles (NI and N2), so that the yarn carrier I3 feeds yarn for only two wales. In these yarn laying operations, the yarn carrier I3 moves back and forth between the full line and dotted line positions of Figure 6.

The procedure for knitting the rst course of the seam for toe edge sections 20 and 22 may be as follows: The yarn carrier I3 is shifted from the full line position to the dotted line position of Figre 6 to lay yarn along the needles NI and N2. Conventional sinkers (not shown) sink the lescasos first courseiof the being knit. The yarn of this "mst course" is a continuation of the -Only the loops of said first course" of seaming"- yarn 33 are now supported on the needles NI and N2.

. Transfer dvice I6 now lifts those loops of toe vedge portion 20 that remain on the needles of ferred from one needle to the next needle on its right in Figure 6. The toe edge loop L8 will thus be placed on needle NI. Simultaneously with the .operation of the transfer device I5, the transfer device I6 lifts the remaining loops of toe edge portions 22, 23 and 2I including the tail loops UUI and UU2 and transfers the lifted loops inwardly (that is, to the left, looking at Figure 6) a distance of one needle. This operation of the transfer device I6 places toe edge loop LI2 on the needle N2. During this operation of the transfer device I6, the yarn carrier I4 is preferably shifted to the left a distance of one needle to maintain its close positioning .relative to the tail 25 which it has knit.

This cycle of yarn laying, yarn looping, pressing off, loop transferring and yarn carrier shifting operations may be repeated a number of times until all of the loops in toe edge portion 20 have been transferred in succession to needle NI, all of the loops in toe edge portion 22 have been transferred in succession to needle N2, and the loops of both toe edge portions 20 and 22 have been interknitted with the courses and wales formed `of seaming yarn from yarn carrier I3.

Thus in producing the second course of the seam for toe edge portions 23 and 22, the yarn carrier I3 is moved from the dotted line position to the full line position of Figure 6 to lay yarn along needles NI and N2. This laid yarn is then looped by the sinkers (not shown) about the needles N I,4 N2 to form the loops of the second course of seaming yarn. 'Ihe loops L9 and LI2 and the loops of lsaid first course of seaming yarn are next pressed off needles NI and N2. 'I'he loops of the toe edge portions 20, 22, 23 and 2| remaining suspended on the idle needles'of the needle bar I2 are then transferred inwardly a distance of one needle by the transfer devices I5 and I5 to place loops L8 and LI3 on the needles NI and N2 which still retain the laid yarn and loop it about the needles NI and loops' of said "second course. The yarn carrier I4 is also shifted to the left (Figure 6) with the transfer ydevice I6 for the reasons explained above.

It will also now be understood that the tenth course of seaming yarn is formed as follows:

- With the loops of the ninth course of seaming yarn and toe edge loops LI and L23 suspended on needles N I and N2, the yarn carrier I3 and sinkers (not shown) are operated for forming the tenth course of loops (U20 and U2I) of the seaming yarn. The toe edge loops LI and L20 and also the loop of the ninth course are `next pressed off needles NI and N2, leaving thereon the tenth course of loops.

The relative arrangement o f the stocking toe 3 and the machine parts is now as shown in Figure accesos '2. 'rncimtenir-leapsimmiamsfA `mi'mwiuehitianamnaseabyseinem; the tenth course of the yarn are supyarn. VBinmltanermsly with .the operation of the ported by the needles NI and N2. A seam'3 has been provided for the toe edge portions 23 and 22. The loops L2I through L40 of the-toe edge portions 23 and 2|, includingthe tail loops f UUI andU2 are supported by what may here be termed idle or inactive needles at the right side (Figure 7) of the knitting" or active needles NI and N2.' Y l To' position the stocking toe 0 for the knitting operations to seam the toe edge portions 23 and 2|, all the loops shown on the needles oflneedlel bar I2 in Figure 'I are transferred to the left and placed on the needles as shown in Figure 8. The purpose of this transfer is to place the toe edge loop L30 and the tail loop 'C IUI on the y knitting or active needieNI, and the toe edge 'loop L3I and the tail loop UU2 on the knitting or active needle N2; The yarn carriers I3 and I4 arev also shifted to the left simultaneously with and to the same extent as the loops to which the yarn carrier seaming yarns are attached.

The transfer of loops from their position in Figure 'I to their position in Figure li! may be secured by operation of the transfer devices I5 and I6. The transfer, if desired, may be effected by only the transfer device I6 providing, of-l course, the latter has as many transfer points I1` as there are needles supporting loops to be transferred. A

After the transfer of loops to secure positioning of the stocking toe 0 on the needle bar I2 as 'indicated' in Figure 8, the transfer devices Ii and I6 are shifted to occupy the position illustrated in Figure 8, so that they are ready tol proceed in .thefollowing operations for joining toe edge portions 23 and 2|. v

The cycle of operationsfin forming each course of a seam to unite thetoeV edge portions 23 and 2| is preferably the'same as that explained above i in forming each course for the seam 0 of toe edge portions 20 and `2. This cycle of operationsmay also be repeated until all of the loops in toe edge portions 23 and 2| have been interknitted with courses of the seaming yarn in substantially the manner described for seaming toe edge portions 20 and 22. f f

For example, the rst cycle of operations following the stagel illustrated in Figure 8 is as follows: The yarn carrier I4 is shifted from the :un une position to the dotted une position or Figure Bnto lay its seaming yarn along the active needles NI and N2. Conventional sinkers (not shown) sink the laid yarn and loop it about Vthe needles NI and N2 to form the rst course of the seam for toe edge portions 23and 2|. The

yarn of this \-first course is a continuation of the yarn in loops UUI and UU2 which are a part of the so-called tail 25. The loops L30, L3I, UUI, and` UU2 are now pressed oif simultaneously according to conventional pressing off practice,

. 'leaving only the loops of said first course of "will thus be placed on needle NI. During the operation of the transfer device I5, the yarn carrier I3 is preferably shifted tothe right (Figure 8) a distance of one needle to maintain its close positioning relative to the loops U20 and 'sewing machine (not shown). When the toe seam has-reached the stageintransfer device Il, the transfer device I0 lifts the remaining loops of ltoe edge portion 2| (that is loops L32 through L40) and\transfers these lifted loops inwardly (that is to the left in Figure 8)A a distance of one needle. This operation of the transfer device I0 places the toe edge loop L22 on the active needle N2. f

This cycle of yarn laying, yarn looping, pressing off, loop transferringand yarn carrier shifting operations is repeated until all of the loops in the -toe edge portion 2 3 have been transferred in succession to needle NI, all of the loops in toe edge portion 2| have been transferred in succession to needle N2, and all the loops' in toe edge portions 23 and 2| have been interknitted with the courses and wales 'formed of seaming yarn from yarn carrier I4.

After the last-loops' to be worked into the seam (that is loops L2I and L40) are interknitted with the seaming yarn of yarn carrier I4 and pressed off needles NI and N2, the stocking-toe U20 and U2I, which are formed of yarn from yarn carrier I3 and constitute the last ortenth s course of the seam for toe edge portions 20 and' 22, are supported on inactive needles nl and n2.

The yarns from both yarn carriers I3 and I4 are now knit to form a tail 50 (see Figure 10). The purpose of this tail 50 is to avoid a run in the toe seam or seams 8- which have just been I knit. This tail may be. formed as follows. The

loops U20 and U.2I are transferred (as by means of the transfer device I5) to the rightilooking at Figure 9) a distance ofV two needles. This transfer operatiomwill place loop `U20 on needle NI. which also supports loop UU20, land will place loop U2Iv on needle N2, which also supports loop UU2I. During this transfer operation, the yarn carrier I3 is preferably shifted to the right (look- `ing at Figure 9) a distance of two needles t0 vplace the same eitherfin front or in the rear of l yarn carrier Il (see Figure 10). The two yarn carriers I3 and Il may now move as in a conventional plating or splicing operation to lay simultaneously their two yarns for forming a. plurality of connected courses, which may be called a tail or aknitted narrow fabric end portion (50) This tail 50 comprises courses and wales with .each course and wale containing throughout the same loops formed from the seaming yarn of both yarn carriers I3 and I4.

The stocking toe and its seam 8 will now appear as shown in Figures 2 and 10. When a suiiicient number of courses (for example tenor twenty) have been provided for the tail 50. it is-completely pressed off the needles NI and N2 in the usual manner for pressing off operations when the knitting operation is finished.

The tail 50 is bound into the stocking in any suitable manner. It may, for example, be bound into the usual seam for sole portions 2. These sole portions 2 have selvage edges which according to conventional practice .are seamed on Va.

dicated by Figure 9, the remainder of the process may be as follows: The yarn carrier I4 and the (not shown) may then be removed from the needle bar I2, and bound into the stocking during its completion as explained with regard to tail 50. Each of the said two separate tails or narrow strips of knitted fabric may be formed of conventional courses and wales and a single continuous yarn,

Another procedure may be followed after `the stocking toe seam has reached the Figure 9 stage. The two yarn carriers I3 and I4 may both lay their yarn along all the needles nl, n2, Ni and N2 in a series of course forming operations. This procedure will provide a tail having a width ofI four wales. Such tail will be composed of connected wales and courses, each with double loo'ps throughout as in conventional plating or splicing practice. This tail may also be bound into the stocking during its completion.

Where needles, such as nl and n2 are used inv tail knitting operations, they become active needles for such purpose.

'I'he relative loop arrangement in the toe seam formed as described above is illustrated diagrammatically by Figure 11, wherein loops L are toe edge loops or free terminal wale loops, and the loops U are seaming loops formed, for example, from yarn supplied by yarn carrier I3. It will be noted that each course of seaming loops U is interlooped with two toe edge loops L-one loop L from toe edge portion 20 and one loop L-from toe edge portion 22. Another feature to be noted is that each of the two wales of the loops U extends lengthwise of the toe seam and isinterlooped with the toe edge loops L of only one of the toe edge portions (20 or 22). Another characteristic of the illustrated seam loop structure is that there is a course of seaming loops U for eachaet of terminal wale loops L, a set of terminal wale loops consisting of a loop from each of the toe vedge portions 20 and 22. This toe seam structure is relatively simple and avoids objectionable seam ridges. such as result in looping operations. The advantage in appearance-and comfort secured by the improved seam is particularly desirable whether the wearer uses the open toeforclosed toe style of shoe. The

appearance will be pleasing to the wearer of open toe style shoes. 'Die comfort secured by the absence of toe ridges will be pleasing to the a sinker loopwhich is formed by a conventional sinker or divider of the usual straight knitting machine. In Figure 1l, the needle loops are lettered U, and the sinker loops are lettered S. As shown in Figure 1l, each course contains two needle loops U which are connected by a single needle loops in a single course are connected by sinker loop S. Figure 11 also shows the narrow 76 knitted strip of seaming yarn as having' two wales of needle loops. When the toe pocket is completed as shown in Figure 2, the two toe seams, or the two halves of the toe seam, extend in end to end relation, and the needle loops of the seaming yarn in one seam will extend in a direction opposite to that of the needle loops of the seaming yarn in the other seam. The needle loops ofv seaming yarn in each seam will extend in a direction away from the diamond point at which such seam was started. This relative arrangement of seaming yarn needle loops in the two seams results from 'the knitting of the seams from the two diamond points 'to the center of the front toe edge.

'I'he seaming yarns supplied by yarn carriers I3 and I@ may be and preferably are of the same weight, character, color and quality as the yarn fromvwhich the Astocking toe fabric is knit. The

4seam 8 may consequently be inconspicuous or substantially the same in appearance as the adjacent toe fabric.

Wherel additional-seam strength is desired,

'be knit to form a larger number of wales, for

example, four. Where the seaming yarn is formed into courses having a width of four loops or wales, each of the twoopposite outer wales may be interlooped or interknit with the loops in one toe edge portion. For example, considering Figure 11, the left outside wale would be interlooped with the loops of the toe edge portion 20, and the other outer wale (on the right) would be interlooped with the loops of toe edge portion 22. 'I'he two intermediate wales of the seaming yarn would then extend lengthwise of the seam'and between the two rows of toe loops L of the toe edge portions 2l and 22.

'I'he yarn carriers I3 and I4 in their yarn laying movements may be operated by conventional frictional -driving mechanism. During their shifting movements with the transfer devices II and I6 as the latter transfer loops. the yarn carriers I3 and Il may be controlled and shifted by any suitable mechanism, such as the mechanism (not shown) for operating the transfer devices I5 and I3.

It will be understood that the foregoing is illustrative, and that the invention includes all embodiments and modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a method of seaming a knitted blank having an edge portion formed of a line of loops, the outer loops of said edge portion forming two spacedouter loop groups and the remaining loops thereof forming two adjacent inner loop groups, the steps of knitting yarn to form a plurality of connected courses while simultaneously interknitting'therewith one of said outer loop groups and the inner loop group adjacent thereto, and thereafter knitting yarn to form a plurality of connected courses while simultaneously interknitting therewith the other of saidl outer loop groups and the other of said inner loop groups.

2. A method of seaming as recited in claim i,

wherein each of the knitting steps includes the formation ofthe yarn into regular coursesrand wales, and the interknitting of the loop groups with said wales, but none of said wales for at least a substantial part thereof being interknit with more than one of the loop groups.

3. In a method of making hosiery, the steps of -producing a toe blank having an edge formed of free terminal wale loops infour groups, anchoring at least two seaming yarns in said toe blank, knitting a plurality of courses from one of said yarns while simultaneously interknitting therewith the loops in two of said groups at one end of said edge to provide a seam for said two loop groups, and then knitting a plurality of courses from the other of said yarns while simultaneously interknitting therewith the loops in the other two of said loop groups to provide a seam therefor.

4. In a method of seaming a hosiery toe blank having two spaced diamond points and an edge portion formed of a line of free terminal wale loops extending between and beyond said diamond pointsthe free loops beyond said diamond points forming two spaced outer loop groups, and the ffree loops between said diamond points forming two inner loop groups, the steps comprising anchoring two seaming yarns in said toe blank, knitting a plurality of connected courses from one of said seaming yarns while simultaneo-usly interknitting therewith one of said outer loop groups and the inner loop group adjacent thereto, and thereafter knitting a plurality of connected courses from the other of `said seaming yarns while' simultaneously interknitting therewith the other of said outer loop groups and the other of said innerv loop groups.

5. In a method of seaming a hosiery toe blank having two `spaced diamond points and an edge portion formed of a line of free terminal wale loops extending between and beyond said diamond points, the free loops beyond the centers of said'diamond points forming two spaced outer loop groups, and the free loops between the centers of said diamond points forming -two inner loop groups, the steps comprising anchoring a seaming yarn in each of said diamond points, knitting a plurality of connected courses from one of said seaming yarns while simultaneously interknitting therewith the outer and inner toe edge loop groups next to the diamond point in which said yarn is anchored, and thereafter knitting a lplurality of connected courses from the other of said seamin'g yarns while simultaneously interknitting therewith the other of said outer and inner loop groups, whereby said free loops extending between said diamond point centers are -seamed to freeloops beyond the same.

6. A method of searning knitted fabric having a continuous edge portion formed of a plurality of free terminal Wale loops, said method comprising the steps of anchoring two seaming yarns in said fabric with the two yarns extending from spaced points in said edge portion and intermediate the opposite ends thereof, seaming together by means of `one of said yarns adjacent groups of said loops lying at opposite sides thereof, and thereafter seaming together by means of the other of `said yarns the adjacent groups y of loops lying at opposite sides thereof.

'1. VA method as recitedin claim 6 wherein each of said searning steps includes the formation of thel yarn into regular courses and wales, and the interknitting of the adjacent loop groups with said wales, but none of said wales for at least a substantial part thereof being interknit with Amore than one of'said loop groups.

8. In a method of knitting at least part of a full-fashioned stocking blank and a seam therefor on a straight series of needles, the steps comprising knitting stocking toe fabric on the needles with at least certain of the toe fabric wales terminating at an edge of said toe fab-ric in free loops, interknitting two seaming yarns with said ll() stocking toe fabric during the formation there-r.

of, seaming on said needles an outer group of said free loops to an adjacent inner group of said free loops with one of said seaming yarns, and thereafter seaming on said needles the opposite outer group of said free loops to the remaining inner group of said free loops with the other of said seaming yarns, whereby said toe fabric and the seams for said toe fabric edge are formed in a substantially continuous operation on said needles.

9. In a method of Vmaking hosiery, the steps of producing a hosiery blank with toe fabric having two spaced diamond points and an edge portion formed of free terminal Wale loops extending -between and beyond the centers of said diamond points, anchoring a seaming yarn in each of said diamond points, knitting a plurality of courses from one of said yarns while simultaneously interknitting therewith the free loops -of said edge portion at one side of and beyond the center of the respective diamond point and free loops at and adjacent the other side thereof to form a seam, then knitting a plurality of courses from the other of said yarns while simultaneously interknitting therewith the free loops of said edge portion on either side of the center of the other of said diamond points to form a second seam, and finally knitting continuations of said two yarns to interknit said continuations and provide a tail extending from adjacent ends of said two seams.

l0. A method of producing a seam for a line of terminal wale loops in an edge of knitted fabric, the terminal Wale loops of said edge forming l two outer loop groups and two inner loop groups, each of the four groups consisting of the same number of edge loops, the method to be performed on a straight series of needles including a set of active needles intermediate two sets of idle or inactive needles, said method comprising the' steps of providing all of said terminal wale loops on said series of needles with the adjacent loops of one of said outer loop groups and of the adjoining inner loop group arranged on said set of active needles, and the remaining loops of said fabric edge on said two sets of idle needles, knitting yarn on said active needles to form a series of connected courses and simultaneously transferring inwardly the loops on both .sets of said idle needles until all of the loops in said one outer loop group and said adjoining inner loop group have been placed on said active needles and interknit with said courses, then transferring all loops remaining on said needles in the same direction to place on said active needles the adjacent lops of the second of said outer loop groups and of the second inner loop group,-

- knitting yarn on said active needles to `form a second series of connected' courses and Vsimultaneously transferring inwardly the loops of said second outer loop group and said secondIl inner loop group until all of the loops in'said 'second outer loop group and said -second inner loop group have been placed on said active .needles and interknit with said second series of courses.'l

carriers are laterally shifted with the edge loops during said transfer of remaining loops in the same direction.

12. A method as recited in claim 10, wherein the yarn for each of said series of courses is fed by a separate yarn carrier, an end of the yarn of each of said yarn carriers is interknitted with the knitted fabric prior to the knitting of the rst series of connected courses, each of the yarn carriers idles While the other yarn carrier is feeding thread in the course knitting operations, and the idling carrier is shifted with the loops in each transfer operation.

13. A method of producing a seam for a line of terminal Wale loops in an edge of knitted fabric, the terminal Wale loops of said edge forming two outer loop groups and two inner loop groups, each of the four groups consisting of the same number of edge loops, the method to be performed on a straight series of needles including a set of active needles intermediate two sets of idle or inactive needles, said method comprising the steps of providing all of said terminal ,Wale loops on said series of needles with the adjacent loops of one of said outer loop groups and of the adjoining inner loop group arranged on said set of active needles, and the remaining loops of said fabric edge on said two sets of idle needles, knitting yarn on saidvactive needles to form a, series of connected courses and Simultaneously transferring inwardly the loops on both sets of said idle needles until all of the loops in said one outer loop group and said adjoining inner loop group have been placed on said active needles and interknit with said courses, then translferring all loops remaining on said needles in the same direction to place on said active needles the adjacent loops of the second of said outer loop groups and of the second inner loop group, knitting yarn on said active needles to form a second series of connected courses and simultanecusly' transferring inwardly the loops of said second outer loop group and said second inner loop group until all of the loops in said second outer loop group and said second inner loop group have been placed on said active needles and interknit with said second seriesof courses, and knitting said yarns to form additional courses extending from said two series of courses.

14. A method for seaming a continuous line of free terminal Wale loops forming an edge portion of knitted fabric, the terminal Wale loops forming two inner loop groups extending between two outer loop groups, and the method to be performed with the aid of loop supporting means including a group of active needles, said meth'od comprising the steps of knitting yarn on said active needles to form a series of courses, providing said edge loops on said loop supporting means, transferring the loops in one of said outer loop groups and the adjacent inner loop group onto said active needles, the loops in said last named outer loop group and said last named' inner loop group being transferred in succession to said active needles and during the formation of `said series of courses, whereby the loops in said outer loop group and the loops in said inner loop group are interknitted with and joined by said yarn, then knitting yarn on said aotive'75 needles to form a second series of courses, transferring the loops in the other outer loop group and the other inner loop group onto said active needles, the loops in each' of said other loop groups being transferred in succession to said active needles and during the formation of said second series of courses, whereby said other loop groups are interknitted with and joined by said last named knitting yarn,

15. A method of producing a seam for knitted fabric having a continuous series of loops, the method to be performed on a needle bar having a group of active needles intermediate two spaced groups of inactive needles, said method comprising arranging said loops on the needles of the needle bar to provide each of said active needles with a loop and to provide loops on inactive needles at each side of the active needles, forming a series of connected courses by knitting yarn on said active needles, inwardly transferring said loops during the formation of said series of connected courses to interknit therewith loops transferred from both sides of said active needles, said knitting and transferring operations continuing until all of the loops on the inactive needles at one side of said active needles have been seamed to a substantially'corresponding number of the loops transferred from the inactive needles at the other side of said active needles, then transferring all the loops remaining on the needles in the same direction to place loops on said active needles and on inactive needles of both of said two inactive groups, knitting yarn on said active needles to produce a second series of connected courses, and inwardly transferring said remaining loops onto said active needles until said remaining loops are all interknitted with said second series of connected courses.

16. A method of producing a seam for knitted fabric having an edge formed of a continuous line of free terminal Wale loops, the method to be performed on a needle bar having a group of active needles intermediate two groups of inactive needles, said method comprising arranging said loops on the needles of the needle bar to provide a group'of said loops on each of said two groups of inactive needles and the remaining loops on said active needles, one of said loop groups containing a larger number of loops than the other of said loop groups, forming a series of connected courses by knitting yarn on said active needles, inwardly transferring the loops of said two loop groups during the formation of said series of connected courses to interknit therewith loops of both of said loopi groups, said knitting and transferring operations continuing until all of the loops in the smaller loop group and a corresponding number of loops in the larger loop group have been interknitted with said series of courses, then transferring all the loops remaining on said needles in the same direction to place said remaining loops on said active needles and on needles of both of said inactive groups, knitting yarn on said active needles to produce a second series of connected courses, and inwardly transferring said remaining loops of said inactive needles onto said active needles until said remaining loops are all interknitted With said second series of connected courses.

17. Knitted fabric having a knitted seam, the knitted fabric having outer edge portions folded inwardly and seamed to the intermediate edge portions, said edge portions being formed of loops, and said seam comprising knitted yarn having regular courses and wales with the wales of loops. the forming two active needles intermediate Vgrouponsaid aseogsoa running lengthwise of said seam and interknit with lsaid edgefloops.

l18. In knitted hosiery. a toe'p ing toe fabric having an ocket comprisedge formed of terminal wale loops, said tcefabrie having the end por- Y 94 opposite sies of-saicl active needles, transferring inwardly said-loops saidvinactivelneedles toA said active needles, said loops on each of said sets of inactive needles being transferred in succsion to said active needles and during the1 formation of said series of courses, whereby said last-named outer loop group and said lastnamed Y adjacent inner loop group are interknitted with wherein the knitted yarn comprises at least two wales, and one of said wales is interknit Iwith loops in one of the folded end portions, and another of said wales is interknit with edge loops sopposite the folded end portion loops.

20. Knitted fabric having a knitted seam, the

knittedfabric having opposite outer edge portions folded inwardly and seamed' to interme-4 diate edge portions, said outer and intermediate edge portions being formed ofv loops, andthe seam f for said edge portions comprising narrow knitted fabric having regular courses extending across the width of the seam and regular wales running lengthwise thereof.

21. In knitted hosiery a toe pocket with opposite outer edge portions folded inwardly and .seamed to intermediate edge portions, the seam for said edge portions comprising narrow knitted fabric having regular courses extending across the seam width and regular wales running lengthwise of the seam. l

22. Knitted hosiery as recited in, claim A2l.

. wherein the toe edge portions are vformed of loops, and the wales at opposite side edges of said narrow fabric are interknit with the edge loops lying at opposite sides of the seam.

23. Knitted hosiery as recited in claim 21, wherein the toe edge portionsare formed of terminal wale loops, each edge loop is interlooped and joined by said yarn, then knitting yarn on said active needles to form a second series of connected courses, providing the loops of the other of said outer loop groups and the inner loop group adjacent thereto on said needles with the adjacent end loops thereof arranged on said vactive needles and with .the remainder of the loops thereof on said inactive needles and at opposite sides of said active needles, transferring inwardly the loops on said inactive needles to said active needles, the loops on .each of said sets of inactive needles being transferred in succession to said active needles and during the formatio'n of said second series of courses, whereby said last-named outer loop groupiand the inner loop with an individual loop of the narrow fabric, and

no wale of the narrow fabric is interknit with edge loops at opposite sides of the seam.

24. Full-fashioned hosieryhaving toe fabric formed of wales terminating in a course of loops at the end edge ofthe toe fabric, the opposite outer portions of said end edge being folded inwardly toward each other-and .seamed to'the intermediate portion of said end edge, the seam for said end edge portions comprising narrow knitted fabric having courses extending across the seam width and wales running lengthwise of the seam. each loop in said end edge course of loops being interlooped .with an individualloop of said narrow narrow fabric being opposite sides of 25. A method fabric having 4an edge portion-formed of a course outer loops of lsaid edge portion spaced outer loop groups and the remaining loops thereof forming two inner loop groups, the 'method to be performed on a set of two sets of inactive needles, said method comprising the steps of knitting yarn onsaid active needles to' form a series of connected courses, providing one of said outer/.loop

fabric, and no wale of the inter-knit with' edge loops at the seam.

needles with the adjacent end loops thereof arranged on said active needles and with the remainder of the loops in said lastnamedouter loop group yand adjacent inner loop group arranged on said inactiveneedles and at `said edge portion being formed group adjacent thereto are interknitted with and joined by said last-named knitting yarn.

26. In knitted hosiery, a toe pocket with each of the opposite outer toe front edge portions folded inwardly and seamed to an adjacent inner toe front edge portion, the seam for each of said outer edge portions and the adjacent inner edge portion being formed by a narrow knitted' strip, each of the two seam strips being formed of needle and sinker loops arranged in regular courses and wales, the needle loops of said two seam strips extending lengthwise of .the seams and in opposite directions.

' 27. A method for seaming a continuous front edge portion of the toe fabric of astocking blank, of two outer groups of loops and two inner groups of loops, and the method to be performed with the aid of loop supporting means including a group of active needles, said method comprising the steps of knitting yarn on said active needles to form a series of connected courses, providing said edge loops onsaid loop supporting means, transferring the loops in one of said 'outer loop groups and the adjacent innerloop group onto said activev needles, the'loops in each of said two of said series of courses, whereby the loops of group of .active needles to form for seeming knitted fabric, said groups and the adjacent inner loop said one outer loop' group and said adjacent inner loop group are interknitted with and Joined by said yarn courses, then knitting yarn on said 4a second series of connected courses. transferring the loops in the second of said outer loop groups and the so: second of said inner loop groupsonto saidactive needles, the loopsin each of said second outer loop lgroup `and said second inner loop group beingv transferred in succession to said active needles and during the formation of said second series of courses, whereby said second outer loop Agroup and saidV second inner loop group are interknitted with and joined by the yarn courses of said second series, said knitting yarn being knitted to form tails before and after being interknit with said edge loops, said tails to be anchored in thel stocking toe for preventing a run in said knitted courses.

FRANK G. WEISBECKER..

WIILIAM W. FIEMING. 

